He US Department of Justice announced the arrest of two Chinese citizens accused of operating as undercover agents of the Ministry of Security of the China Regime (MSS). According to the authorities, they would have participated in espionage activities and in the identification of military personnel that can be recruited by Chinese intelligence services.
Both, identified as Yuance Chen and Liren “Ryan” Laiwere arrested on June 27 in two simultaneous operations: one in Happy Valley, Oregonand another in Houston, Texas. Chen (38) legally resided since 2015, while Lai (39) entered the country in April of this year with a tourist visa.
According to the criminal complaint filed by the Department of Justice, the defendants acted in favor of the MSS without registering as foreign agentsviolating federal legislation.
The US arrested two Chinese citizens accused of espionage
From the FBI They point out that Lai began training Chen in intelligence from 2021, with the aim of Obtain classified information and establish recruitment networks within the armed forces of USA.
Among the actions attributed to the detainees, there is Chen’s visit to a Marine Recruitment Center In San Gabriel, California. During that visit, he photographed an adverters with the names, programs and cities of origin of new recruitsmany with origins in China.
Subsequently, they would have transmitted these images to a MSS Intelligence Officeras recorded in the accusation. The FBI also documented payments made by Chen and Lai, on behalf of the MSS, for a total of at least U $ s10,000.
These funds were intended to reward the Delivery of information related to national security. The authorities did not specify the exact scope of the information obtained or if there were effectively recruited military personnel.
“This case highlights the sustained and aggressive effort of the Chinese government to infiltrate our armed forces and undermine our national security from within“, Said US attorney general PAM Bondi, in a statement.
Bondi added that “The Department of Justice will not be left with a crossed arms while hostile nations infiltrate spies in our country; We will unmask foreign agents, we will demand accounts from their agents and protect the American people from undercover threats to our national security”
The charges towards Chinese citizens
Lai and Chen face charges for acting as unregistered agents of a foreign government. If they are declared guilty, they could receive a maximum condemnation of Ten years in prison. The judicial authorities indicated that the investigation is still open and that new arrests are not ruled out.
The operation is part of a broader effort of the US government for counteracting what it describes as a systematic campaign of “Chinese espionage “ on American soil.
For several years, intelligence officials warned about attempts at the MSS of obtaining sensitive data through the use of Chinese citizens or people with links with the Asian country. The director of the FBI, Christopher Wrayhe pointed out on multiple occasions China represents the “broader, sophisticated and persistent threat”In terms of espionage against the US.
According to official data, there are hundreds of research related to undercover activities attributable to the Chinese regime, in sectors ranging from technological research to critical infrastructure and military security. Neither the White House nor the Chinese authorities issued comments on the case.
Source: Ambito
